The Sindh Health Department confirmed the death of 52-year old, Habib Khan, a resident of the Lyari area of Karachi, who died in a private hospital of the city due to the lethal Congo viral fever. The patient was brought in to the hospital a few days ago with a fever where he was diagnosed with the Congo virus following lab testing.
The tick-borne viral disease has infected 36 people this year so far out of which 17 have been reported dead. Currently, a 62-year-old man, Muhammad Daud, is under treatment at a private hospital.
Congo fever is a fatal viral disease that spreads through a tick (Chichar) bite, a parasite that lives in the blood of animals. People who deal with cattle and livestock mainly contract the Congo virus.
The symptoms of Congo virus include backache, joint pain, abdominal pain, high-grade fever, and bleeding from various parts of the body.